Department of Commerce March 25, 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is revising its patent quality metrics to better identify quality-related issues and more clearly communicate its quality measurements to the public. The new patent quality metrics are part of the USPTO's Enhanced Patent Quality Initiative (EPQI), which was launched in 2015 to engage patent stakeholders in enhancing patent quality. As part of the Enhanced Patent Quality Initiative, the prior patent quality metrics have been reassessed, and new patent quality metrics are now being designed for adoption for fiscal year 2017. The new patent quality metrics for use in fiscal year 2017 are planned to focus on the correctness and clarity of Office actions and will be applied through a newly unified review process using a standardized review form that will permit data from a significantly larger number of finished product quality reviews conducted at the agency to be aggregated and mined for information. The USPTO will also mine data on transactions during patent prosecution (e.g., the types of actions taken by the applicant and the USPTO) to assess examination processes and identify potential quality issues requiring further study. The review process will apply the new quality metrics and standardized form to increase the accuracy, consistency, transparency, clarity, and simplicity of USPTO quality review procedures. The USPTO is seeking comment from its stakeholders on further improvements to the changes proposed herein.

NMFS is reallocating the projected unused amounts of the Aleut Corporation's pollock directed fishing allowance and the Community Development Quota from the Aleutian Islands subarea to the Bering Sea subarea directed fisheries. These actions are necessary to provide opportunity for harvest of the 2016 total allowable catch of pollock, consistent with the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area.

NMFS implements accountability measures (AMs) for the commercial sector for vermilion snapper in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the South Atlantic. NMFS projects that commercial landings for vermilion snapper will reach the commercial annual catch limit (ACL) for the January through June, 2016, fishing period by March 29, 2016. Therefore, NMFS closes the commercial sector for vermilion snapper in the South Atlantic EEZ on March 29, 2016, and it will remain closed until July 1, 2016, the start of the July through December fishing period. This closure is necessary to protect the South Atlantic vermilion snapper resource.

The Science Advisory Board (SAB) was established by a Decision Memorandum dated September 25, 1997, and is the only Federal Advisory Committee with responsibility to advise the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere on strategies for research, education, and application of science to operations and information services. SAB activities and advice provide necessary input to ensure that National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) science programs are of the highest quality and provide optimal support to resource management. Time and Date: The meeting will be held Thursday April 28 from 9:45 a.m. EDT to 5:45 p.m. EDT and on Friday April 29, from 9:00 a.m. EDT to 1:00 p.m. EDT. These times and the agenda topics described below are subject to change. Please refer to the Web page https:// www.sab.noaa.gov/Meetings/meetings.html for the most up-to-date meeting times and agenda. Place: The meeting will be held at Sheraton Silver Spring Magnolia Ballroom, 8777 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, Maryland. Please check the SAB Web site https://www.sab.noaa.gov/Meetings/meetings.html for directions to the meeting location. Status: The meeting will be open to public participation with a 15- minute public comment period on April 28 from 5:30-5:45 p.m. EDT (check Web site to confirm time). The SAB expects that public statements presented at its meetings will not be repetitive of previously submitted verbal or written statements. In general, each individual or group making a verbal presentation will be limited to a total time of two (2) minutes. Individuals or groups planning to make a verbal presentation should contact the SAB Acting Executive Director by April 21, 2016 to schedule their presentation. Written comments should be received in the SAB Executive Director's Office by April 21, 2016, to provide sufficient time for SAB review. Written comments received by the SAB Executive Director after April 21, 2016, will be distributed to the SAB, but may not be reviewed prior to the meeting date. Seating at the meeting will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Special Accommodations: These meetings are physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for special accommodations may be directed no later than 12:00 p.m. on April 21, 2016, to Dr. Elizabeth Turner, Acting SAB Executive Director, Room 146, Gregg Hall, 35 Colovos Road, Durham, NH 03824; Email: Elizabeth.Turner@noaa.gov. Matters To Be Considered: The meeting will include the following topics: (1) Report on Ecosystem Services Valuation from the Ecosystem Sciences and Management Working Group; (2) Updates from the NOAA Administrator, Chief Scientist and the Chief Economist; (3)SAB Strategy Discussion and Implications for NOAA; and (4) Discussion of Working Group Issues and Working Group Concept of Operations.